THE GREATEST SEASON

It's here! The time has come to begin turning down the flames on our Hot Stoves and for some it is the time to order vast quantities of Red Kool-Aid. Throughout the states of Florida and Arizona pitchers, catchers, and those trying to continue their careers are stretching, throwing, and running in the outfields of the spring training sites. That the game we love so much starts the 2011 season on Valentines Day is only a coincidence but the baseball gods may still be sending us a message. The message may be that, just like a relationship, the baseball season will both be uplifting and heartbreaking. However, for one day even the fans in KC, Pittsburgh, and other baseball wastelands can have hope.

Before speaking to what is going on at the spring training sites I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to thank those who have given us stuff to occupy our time between the demise of the Eagles and the day the Four Aces start to sing and hum.

Thanks are in order to Fat Andrew for giving us an offensive line coach as our new D-coordinater. This move ranks high in a long list of Andrews Follies.

Thanks are also in order to the 76ers for actually winning while playing some decent basketball. Doug Collins may have a breakdown before the season is over but, barring a collapse or a major injury, the team looks like it is headed for the playoffs and a first round exit.

Many were able to wait out the nuclear winter of no baseball by watching the Flyers (who I'm told are having another good season). I still can't watch this "sport," and won't until they start playing a 4th quarter, but if you must - enjoy.

Also due for a round of applause are the Villanova Wildcats. The Cats started the season ranked very high and have of late given every Nova hater the joy of watching them get torn up in Big East play. Thanks!

To the north we must thank our NL East rivals in New York for all the joy in learning how involved the Mets owners were with Bernard Madoff. Bernie(now serving 150 years) apparently was the Wilpons' numero uno financial wizard and, due to litigation started by a lawyer named Irving Picard, the Wilpons may end up paying a billion to a fund for Bernie's victims. Nice! Because of this, I have decided to change the name of the team from the Mets to the New York Madoffs.

In Clearwater today the Four Aces are cranking it up. On paper, it would appear that the Phils have one of the top two rotations in baseball (the other being the Giants). Add in Blanton as the fifth starter and I understand why people are starting to play the game of "which Ace will win the most games." I have no clue who will win the most games but, assuming no injuries shorten anyone's season, it won't be Hamels. As a long suffering fan of the candystripers, I do like the hand we have but I don't see any of these guys equaling the greatest season I've ever seen from a Phillies pitcher. Trust me - it won't happen.

To catch a glimpse of the greatest performance by a Phillies pitcher we must use the reconditioned Wayback Machine. The Wayback has a new engine, more chrome than a '58 Buick, and a state of the art 8 track system which will allow us to enjoy the sounds of Al Alberts and his Four Aces. I've set the machine for 1972. Come along for our first trip of the new season as we explore the great Steve Carlton and his magnificent season of 1972.

On February 25, 1972, the Phillies traded Rick Wise to the Cardinals for Steve Carlton. It was a one-for-one trade that had many back in the day scratching their heads as to why the Redbirds would move their lefthanded ace to the Phils for only Wise. Wise, who enjoyed an 18 year career finished the '71 season 17-14 with a 2.88era for a pathetic Phillies team. Carlton had turned in a 20-9, 3.56 era season for the Cardinals in '71 and, when combined with Bob Gibson's 19 wins, gave the St Louis team the best one-two pitching punch in baseball.

Perhaps the Cardinals didn't want to deal with Carlton's eccentricities or perhaps they thought Wise would be a better fit - I don't know - but, in making the trade, the Cardinals gave the Phillies the lynchpin of their rotation who would contribute in a major way to the Phillies' first title in 1980.

The 1972 Phillies sucked big time. They couldn't hit very well, had trouble playing defense and their pitching left everything to be desired - with the exception of Lefty. The team managed to hit for a combined .236 average with an OBP of .302. Led by Greg Luzinski's 18 HR's the team managed to hit 98 round trippers. Under the tutelage of managers Frank Lucchesi (fired after a 26-50 record) and the Pope (Paul Owens 33-47), the team finished '72 buried in the cellar with a marvelous 59-97 record. The only pitcher to have a winning record was Carlton who led the league in wins with 27-10 record.

That's right, Carlton won nearly 46% of the games won by the Phillies that year. Last year, the Phils won 97 games. To equal Carlton last year, someone would have had to win 44 games.

In today's game, managers worry about the pitch counts and number of innings pitched. I guess those worries didn't apply to Lefty in 1972. In '72, Carlton started 41 games and pitched 346.1 innings while recording a 1.97 ERA. He struck out 310 batters while issuing 57 walks. He tossed 8 shut-outs and completed 30 games. Today, most TEAMS don't record 30 CG for a season.

Do the math. He won 27 games, but completed 30, meaning that he even tossed 3 CG's in games that he lost. Can you imagine Charlie Manuel allowing Hamels to finish a game where he had given the other team a 4 or 5 run gift? Of course not. Manuel would pull the hairdresser out early, just as he would with any of the other Aces who didn't have it.

Perhaps one reason Carlton was allowed to finish his losing games was the lack of any real quality in the '72 bullpen. Other than Carlton, the staff was littered with guys who were either long past the time when they could pitch (Woodie Fryman, Chris Short) or guys who were getting the proverbial cup of coffee like Bob Terlecki or Bob Downs - neither of whom played long enough to appear on a baseball card. More common were guys like Tinicum's own Ken Reynalds who started 23 games, finishing with a 2-15 record. Or we can mention the misnamed Billy Champion who, in 22 starts, managed a 4-14 record to go along with his 5.09 ERA. Rookie Mac Scarce was the staff saves leader with 4, followed by Dick Selma who had 3. Seattle Pilot refugee Bucky Brandon managed a 7-7 record in a combined starting relief role.

If you agree that, aside from Carlton, the staff stunk up the Vet his accomplishments that year are even more insane when you look at the starting 8.

Behind the plate was John Bateman who in 82 games managed to provide a .222 average with 3 home runs. This was Bateman's last year in the show. Tim McCarver was Lefty's personal catcher and in 45 games hit a lusty .237. While playing for the Cardinals, McCarver went out to the mound to talk to his pitcher, Bob Gibson. Gibson, according to McCarver, told him, "Go away, the only thing you know about pitching is that it is hard to hit!" Bob Boone was a September call-up in '72 and only played in 16 games.

The '72 infield was led by Larry Bowa at SS, Denny Doyle at 2B,Terry Harmon & Deron Johnson at 1B, and Don Money at 3B. Money hit 15 round trippers, but managed only a .222 avg. Mike Schmidt was a Sept. call-up hitting .206 in 13 games. Safe to say that Lefty got little offensive production from the infield.

The outfield was where offensive production came from, led by Greg Luzinski. The Bull hit a solid .281, had 18 HRs, and drove in a team-leading 68 runs. After Bull, Willie Montanez produced 64 RBI's. The rest of the OF was populated by the likes of Oscar Gamble and Bill Robinson who later played on the great "We Are Family" Pirates teams of the late 70's & early 80's.

Given how futile the '72 team was, Carlton's performance that year is all the more amazing. Despite the talent on the current roster, it will never be matched. To date, Steve Carlton must be considered the greatest Phillie pitcher of all time (Sorry Robin). He must be included as one of the best left handed pitchers of all time as well. In my lifetime, only two other southpaws deserve mention with Lefty - Warren Spahn and Sandy Koufax. Say what you will about Lefty, but despite his quirks and special training methods and his vow of silence, the 1972 season will forever be the greatest single season performance I have ever seen.

Our time in 1972 has come to an end so let's get back in the Wayback Machine and return to the present. I've put the Four Aces Greatest Hits in the 8 track so sit back, enjoy "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" on our Valentine's Day trip home. On this first day of Spring Training I won't worry about who will play RF, or about the lack of quality middle relievers, I'm just gonna enjoy the fact that IT'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!